


Book One: Moon Appreciation Week

by Nightmares_and_Daydreams



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-28
Updated: 2020-05-31
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:15:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24421888
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nightmares_and_Daydreams/pseuds/Nightmares_and_Daydreams
Summary: This is in honour of the countdown to the Book One: Moon novelisation over on Tumblr (everything’s under the #book one: moon tag). It's some moments we didn't see in the show and various characters' points of view on some we did.Cross-posted on Wattpad. The Dragon Prince belongs to Aaron Ehasz and Wonderstorm and Netflix, not me, sadly, so I only own my own words.
Relationships: Amaya & Callum & Ezran (The Dragon Prince), Callum & Ezran & Harrow (The Dragon Prince), Callum & Ezran & Rayla (The Dragon Prince), Callum & Ezran (The Dragon Prince), Callum & Rayla (The Dragon Prince), Callum/Rayla (The Dragon Prince), Claudia & Soren & Viren (The Dragon Prince), Claudia & Soren (The Dragon Prince), Ellis & Ezran (The Dragon Prince), Ellis/Ezran (The Dragon Prince), Ethari/Runaan (The Dragon Prince), Ezran & Rayla (The Dragon Prince)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 21





	1. Echoes of Thunder

**Author's Note:**

> This is partially based off the theory that Harrow knew more about Callum’s future than he ever let on. There’s more detail on it on my Tumblr page (yafantasyandmusicals) but the gist of it is that Harrow knew Callum would defeat Aaravos and would need the Key due to a prophecy passed down through the royal line of Katolis.

It was almost sunset. His last sunset. And King Harrow knew he had to claim responsibility for his own death. Whatever pushing Viren had done over the years, he’d chosen to go along with his ‘creative solutions’ and the fault for that lay with him.

He didn’t have much time. There was so much he needed both Ezran and Callum to hear; advice and lessons for the difficult future ahead as Ezran took the throne and Callum took his place beside him, and a special message for Callum and nobody else. The boys would need to be away from here as soon as possible and he needed them to get the message before they left because he knew he would never see them again. That in itself was hard enough that his throat tightened. He couldn’t even give Ezran a proper goodbye.

Harrow decided to write a letter. There was no way he’d be able to tell Callum everything he wanted to say when their conversations were so awkward even in normal circumstances. Another regret, something else he should have done differently. Yet somehow both his sons had grown into kind-hearted, mature children who would create bright futures for themselves.

He thought about that as he wrote. Setting Callum on this path was important, but it wouldn’t be fair to chain him down as if his whole life had been mapped out before he was even born. Harrow would nudge him towards the Banther Lodge and make sure he got the Key of Aaravos, but the rest of his future was up to him to choose.

Callum could be trusted to make the right choice anyway, especially with Ezran by his side.


	2. What Is Done

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The hour that changed Rayla's life forever, when she met two human princes and found an egg.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Could I have done any other scene, really?

She has no idea why she asks his opinion on her ears of all things. She’s supposed to find out where her targets are from this boy and make sure he doesn’t alert anyone to her presence. It’s a fundamental tenet of her assassin training, drummed into her by Runaan; in and out as quickly as possible without anyone ever knowing she’d been there, no distractions and no fanfare. They aren’t used to the predicament they’ve found themselves in, forced to infiltrate a castle on guard and waiting for them.

And it’s her fault, which is why she has to make it right.

The fact that this boy has thrown a sheet over her and is now making a break for it is slightly derailing her plans right now, though. Rayla gives chase, of course, and takes out the guards with barely any effort – honestly, shouldn’t royal guards at least be able to put up a fight? - and then the boy says, ‘Hey, you swept the leg!’

Her first response is ‘What?’ not because she didn’t hear him, or because she doesn’t understand what he means by ‘sweeping the leg’, but because she honestly cannot believe he stopped to point out her technique when she’s currently using said technique to chase him down and, for all he knows, kill him. Then again, this boy stopped to consider whether he liked her ears and to tell her so when she had a sword levelled at him, so maybe she should be less surprised.

As she chases him up a spiral staircase, she wonders if all humans are so slow or if it’s just him. Maybe she’s just particularly fast –  Runaan had called her ‘the fastest of all of us’ - but at any rate, it isn’t long until she’s shoving him into a table and stalking into the room. Now she’s not running,  Rayla’s mind is catching up with her body and the thrumming sense of certainty is ebbing, so she does her best to project a confidence she doesn’t feel and mentally chants  _ This is justice. This will save all their lives. This will fix my mistake. Justice will not be denied. _

_ Justice will not be denied. Justice will not be denied. Justice will not be denied. _

‘You don’t have to die.’ Inside she is begging this boy to just give her the information she is after. ‘There are only two targets tonight.’

‘Wait, two?’ There’s surprise in his eyes. Did the humans think they were only coming for the king? ‘What do you mean?

‘I’m here for the king. And I’m also here for his son, Prince  Ezran .’ At those words, terror flashes across his face.

‘You can’t! That’s not fair!’ he cries. ‘Why would you hurt someone who’s done nothing wrong?’

_ Nothing wrong? _ ‘Humans cut down the King of the Dragons and destroyed his only egg, the Dragon Prince! Justice will not be denied.’

‘I see.’ He looks up at her again with steely resolve. ‘Well then, you found me. I am Prince Ezran.’

Oh.  _ Oh. _

In that case, it’s time for her first kill. She’s drawn this out long enough anyway and there is no running for either of them. The prince is backing away as she steps closer, scrambling back towards the wall.

‘I have to do this. I’m sorry. I don’t want to, but I have to.’

‘Why?’ he sounds like he doesn’t understand. It seems simple to Rayla. His father killed Avizandum, so now he must die too. He destroyed the egg, the dragon’s son, so his must die too. ‘You know this is wrong!’

‘An assassin doesn’t decide right and wrong. Only life and death.’

‘That’s very clever, but come on. Really?’  Rayla has to admit she’s thrown by the way this human just dismissed one of the fundamental tenets of being an assassin. ‘How does this solve anything?’

Is he seriously engaging her in an ethical debate when she has a sword at his throat?

‘This is justice! Humans attacked us unprovoked!’

‘ So it’s ok for you to do the same thing?’ Finally, something she can argue back against with certainty. She seizes the opportunity.

‘Well, no. It’s not the same thing. Because we’re attacking you  _ provoked.’ _

_ ‘ _ Then it’s a cycle. You hurt  me; someone will get revenge against the elves. It won’t end!’

The words hit her like a blow to the stomach. She hasn’t considered that before but anyway there’s no time to think about it because suddenly the prince is talking to a voice coming from the painting.

‘Shh. Go away!’

‘I found something.’

‘Are you talking to that painting?’ Rayla knows there’s probably someone hidden behind the painting but she has a strange impulse to needle him.

‘Uh, why would I do that?  ‘Cause it’s NOT A GOOD TIME!’ Subtle. Real subtle.

‘You mean because you’re with a girl?’ Whoever this is has really misread the room. She opens the painting and is confronted with a boy, a child really, looking very surprised to find an elven assassin standing over his prince.

‘ Uhhh ... jelly tart?’ he offers.

The prince looks panicked now. ‘Kid, get out of here!’

‘Callum, what’s going on?’  _ Callum? But... _ that means he isn’t Prince Ezran but his brother.  Rayla has messed up again.

‘Callum? I thought you were Prince  Ezran ! You lied to me!’

‘Ok, how is that worse than trying to kill someone?’ The killing is justified – how many times does she have to say it?

‘Have you met Bait?’ the boy asks, and she cannot see how that’s relevant. ‘Say hello to my little friend.’

The frog suddenly glows and then the room is filled with light and she can’t see and it  _ hurts  _ like the light of Lux Aurea supposedly does and she hears the boys leaving but it’s clear they went back behind the painting, so she follows them, still blinking spots from her eyes.

Rayla chases the boys through stone passages; she can hear them up ahead and calls, ‘You’re only making this worse!’ She’ll catch them in the end and any hope they’ve built up will be destroyed so isn’t better not to hope in the first place?

‘Worse how?’ Is he  _ still  _ arguing with her? Doesn’t this boy ever give up?

She skids around a corner just in time to see a staircase closing up, but considering the jelly handprints on the wall it shouldn’t be too difficult opening it again.

‘How did you...?’ the boy seems completely unaware of his terrible stealth skills as she enters the room.

‘I just pressed all the stones with the jelly handprints.’

He facepalms. It’s then that she stops to look at the room and sees all the parts. Animals, even elves, pieces of them in jars, even skulls. She wants to be sick.

‘What is this place?’ she demands.  Rayla wants to kick herself for doubting the mission for even a second. ‘ Runaan is right. There’s nothing in  humans worth sparing!’

She will do it this time; she really will do it with no more hesitation. ‘Time’s up!’ And if she wasn’t sure who the little kid is before, the way Callum is standing makes it obvious that he is her target. ‘Humans destroyed the egg of the Dragon Prince! There must be justice!’ She almost feels bad because he’s just a kid, but justice will not be denied.

Callum steps between her and  Ezran and says, ’You’ll have to get through me,’ and she can’t help but admire him for his bravery. But it’s unsettling, the way he’ll sacrifice himself for his brother without hesitation, willingly die in his place, when it goes against everything she’d ever been told about humans.

‘Really?’ It’s foolhardy. Does he really think he stands a chance against her?

‘Wait!’ Prince  Ezran shouts. ‘You need to see something!’

If he thinks he can fool her again he’s sorely mistaken. ‘I’m not falling for that flashing frog trick again!’

‘He’s a glow toad-’ Irrelevant. ‘-but there’s no trick this time! Please, look.’

How much harm can a ten-year-old do? ‘Fine. You uncover it.  _ Slowly _ .'

‘I can hear something inside,’ he says as he backs up towards it. ‘Something alive.’

And then he whips off the covering and the egg of the Dragon Prince is revealed in all its glory. An involuntary gasp escapes her. ‘It - it can’t be!’

‘The egg,’ says Callum. ‘It wasn’t destroyed!’

And in an instant,  Rayla’s mission changes. She is sure of one thing; she has to get this egg back to Xadia. After all, justice will not be denied.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, hope you enjoyed! I'll try to publish the next chapter as soon as possible.


	3. Moonrise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Snapshots of the relationships between Rayla and Runaan, Soren and Callum (and slightly Viren) and a little Harrow and Callum, explored through scenes towards the end of the episode.

Runaan’s heart didn’t stop when he saw Rayla emerge onto the roof of the castle. But his stomach plummeted and dread coiled inside him, even before she said, ‘You’re here. I know you are.’

He took a deep breath and turned visible again, walking out onto the battlements. ‘Rayla.’

She turned.

‘You defied me.’ He was torn between fury and terror; did she not understand, even now, how high the stakes were tonight? That this was a matter of life and death and they weren’t in the Silvergrove anymore?

‘Runaan, you need to call off the mission,’ she said.

‘You’ve lost your mind!’ She had never given him so much trouble before tonight.

But then, that wasn’t quite true, was it? Rayla had always had a sassy, mischievous streak. She respected him but in no way did she always listen to him. She obeyed when she agreed, or understood his reasoning.

‘Please, listen to me! I found something – the egg of the Dragon Prince!’ Could she really have...?

‘That’s impossible.’

‘The egg wasn’t destroyed, it was stolen!’ Rayla proclaimed. ‘Their High Mage was going to use it for Dark magic but the human princes found it, and they’re only trying to help-’

‘No!’ Runaan interrupted. _Humans couldn’t be trusted_ , why was that so hard for her to understand? ‘Humans are liars! This is a trick and a trap! You’re a fool, Rayla.’ He had dared to hope, for a moment.

‘She’s not a fool,’ a voice declared. Then a human stepped out from behind a crate. ‘What she’s telling you is true.’

‘You’ve made a terrible mistake,’ Runaan hissed at him.

‘Ez!’ the human called. ‘Show him.’

Another human, just a boy really, emerged holding-

‘It...’ Runaan’s breath left him in a rush. Awestruck, he whispered, ‘It’s beautiful.’

‘How can we take vengeance for an act that never happened? You have to call it off.’ Rayla clearly thought this fixed everything. In truth, the situation wasn’t nearly so simple. The boy holding the egg must be the prince, but if the egg lived there was no need for him to die. Runaan’s mind raced. More importantly, the egg had to be returned and if the human princes were the ones to do so, the war might end. He could understand Rayla’s reasoning. If only things were that simple. The King of the Dragons was still dead, so King Harrow had to go too. Justice would not be denied.

‘Rayla, you know it doesn’t work that way. We bound ourselves; there’s only one way to release.’

‘Runaan, please!’ cried Rayla. ‘There has to be another way! This is a miracle, a chance for peace!’

‘The humans struck down the King of the Dragons. Justice will not be denied!’ He did the only thing he could to ensure Rayla left and took the egg and the humans with her. He wasn’t sure if he could trust them, but they were better than a Dark mage. He thrust out a hand. ‘Now, give me the egg.’

Quick as a whip, just as Runaan had always taught her, Rayla reached for her blades. ‘Callum, Ezran, go!’ The older boy protested, but she cut him off. ‘Just keep it safe.’

Just as he’d predicted. A bittersweet feeling filled his heart. The clouds parted. The moon’s warmth shone down on them both.

‘Don’t do this,’ he warned her, drawing his swords and pointing one at her. ‘I will kill you.’ He desperately hoped she’d step away from this fight, leave the palace altogether, instead of forcing him to fight her. But she said, ‘Probably,’ and now they were both invisible under the light of the full moon, running at each other, then their blades came together with a ringing noise so familiar from countless sparring matches.

It had been a long time since they had done this purely for pleasure. Months, in fact. Runaan and Rayla had both changed these past few months since the death of Avizandum. Since-

Rayla had been driven, throwing herself into training with an intensity that should have alarmed Runaan but hadn’t since he’d been handling his emotions and his family’s so terribly after what had happened. He’d been aware of it deep down, but unable to admit it and Ethari had suffered for it. Only now did he understand Rayla had too. Ethari had tried to talk sense into him but he had been convinced he knew what Rayla needed, that the betrayal could just make her a different person entirely. Rayla had obeyed him without question, surely trusting in his guidance to smooth over the jagged edges inside her. And he had failed her. She hadn’t been in her right mind and he had only made that worse.

They fought up and down the battlements, up onto the towers, down again, dancing along the roof, on a knife edge above the ground below, though it was hardly a problem for Moonshadow assassins. He knew he was going easy on her, almost against his will, though she was extraordinarily capable for a girl of her age and he knew she would easily have the upper hand over most of the Silvergrove. He had made sure of it.

‘You’re better than this,’ he told her as they crossed blades again.

‘Nope, not really. You’ve had about twenty years more training.’ She was sassing him. In a situation as dire as this, she was sassing him.

This was the most alive, the realest Rayla had been in months.

‘Not your fighting skills. I mean your character!’ He kicked her off the roof and she hooked onto the stone with her swords, flipping to the ground. His arrows were already racing to meet her, but she dodged them and sliced another into pieces, so he went back to his swords.

Runaan suspected she knew he wouldn’t really harm her. Then why was she still fighting? Their blades clashed again.

‘You saw the egg, there’s no need for vengeance tonight!’ She launched herself at him and they traded more blows, and then, as there was a lull in the fighting her eyes flicked upwards, somewhere beyond him. He turned and understanding struck him. ‘You’re just trying to stall me.’ It wasn’t a bad strategy, but years of raising Rayla had made him aware of her tells.

‘Interesting theory.’ She was leaning insouciantly on one of her swords, and with a pang he thought of how Ethari would tell her not to. ‘Care to discuss?’

‘Your justice will come later.’ He was fully aware these were probably the last words he’d ever say to her, but he couldn’t help being angry. He’d tried to put her out of harm's way and she’d still come here tonight. The prince escaped, they would fail in their mission and she would be the one to bear the burden of losing a hand. Runaan had never wanted something like this to happen to her and yet despite his best efforts she had brought it on herself. She would bear the consequences.

But now, she might also return the Dragon Prince to his mother and stop a war. She could do something monumental, an act for the history books, despite the path they had found themselves on tonight.

And despite everything, that thought brought a small smile to Runaan’s face for just a second.

* * *

Soren didn’t want Callum anywhere near the tower tonight, yet he was here, so Soren had to make him go away. Despite that, he seemed pretty determined not to let anyone get in his way, which Soren could respect even if it was pretty unexpected.

Then his dad emerged, and the situation got a whole lot worse. Soren had no idea what Callum was talking about – Dragon Prince? The egg was destroyed – but if there was one thing he was good at it, it was dangerous situations. And this one could get really ugly, real fast.

‘The king will have you in shackles when he finds out about this!’ Well, that would go down terribly. Although... that was impressive. Since when did Callum have a spine?

‘What makes you so sure he doesn’t already know?’ His dad turned to him. ‘Grab him!’

‘But...’ _I don’t want to hurt him_. ‘He’s the prince.’

‘Do it!’

Callum turned to run as the guards grabbed him. They dragged him back before Viren and Soren had to admit he was taken aback by the venom in the kid’s eyes and his bravery. Maybe there was more to him than met the eye.

In years to come Soren would wish he had done something in that moment, as his father took Callum’s voice, but in truth he had stood there, torn between his father and his friend. He desperately wanted to please Viren and make him proud. On the other hand, Callum was his friend. He’d known him since they were both young, comforted him after he lost his mother, helped him entertain Ezran, done push-ups with him on his back, even been drawn by him.

But he did nothing.

‘You impudent little mongrel! You were spoiled and given everything, and that has left you weak and helpless.’ Just for a moment, Callum’s eyes met his. ‘Tonight, your world is changing, and there is nothing you or anyone can-’

Soren felt it before he saw it. They were coming. The torches went out. The guards released Callum and turned, ready for battle. Soren noticed Callum trying to do the same and put a hand on his shoulder – he was nowhere near prepared for Moonshadow assassins. ‘They’re here!’

An arrow came flying towards them but Soren was already moving, shoving Callum aside. It lodged in his armour but didn’t quite pierce his clothes. He tossed it aside, drew his sword and shouted, ‘Defend the doors!’

The elves leaped out of the stairwell. The battle had begun.

* * *

King Harrow stood on the balcony, absorbing the last fresh air he ever would. He kept his eyes closed, determined not to look at the beautiful world he would leave behind. He wondered briefly if it was better to know death was coming, to say goodbyes, or to have it come upon you suddenly and without warning.

Like Sarai.

On the other side, maybe she would be waiting. He hoped so. _I’ll see you on the other side,_ she’d said so long ago. Usually it was a memory he kept buried; then, just a few hours ago, in his letter to Callum, he’d written about it and now it had resurfaced.

There were clashes and shouts outside his door. The fight had begun. He stepped inside and picked up his sword, determined to die honourably and on his feet. It was almost impossible to discern individual noises amidst all the chaos and commotion, until the last voice he’d expected to hear now cut through the rest.

‘DAD!’

Callum.

Why was he here? He was supposed to be en route to the Banther Lodge! Did this mean Ezran was here too? Harrow begged Callum internally to leave. The door to his chambers wouldn’t hold much longer and he didn’t want Callum to see any of it.

Then his brain caught up with him. _Dad_. Callum had called him ‘Dad’. After more than a decade. He stopped still for a moment, allowed his heart to swell at the word he had never thought he’d hear from his eldest son. Then he went to meet his death.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading - hope you enjoyed!

**Author's Note:**

> So that was the first one! Sorry it's short, hopefully future ones will be longer. I hope you liked it and I'll publish the others as soon as I can. Thank you so much for reading!


End file.
